If One Day
by Kairaita
Summary: One day, Team Natsu doesn't come home.


_~If One Day~_

_They'll never stop waiting._

* * *

One day, Team Natsu doesn't come home.

* * *

"_So how often does he kidnap someone?"_

"_Once every couple days… Please, you have to help us. At this rate, the town-"_

"_That's what we're here for! We'll find that guy and burn him to a crisp!"_

"_If you do that, we're not going to get the reward."_

"_Enough, you two. And no one has seen the culprit?"_

"_N-no, he just appears and vanishes. One of our resident mages said he had some sort of magic that makes him so stealthy, but he was kidnapped too, before he could tell us more."_

* * *

Technically, it's been three, four, fivesixseventenfourteen days since they haven't returned, but it's the first day that someone is concerned about it.

Mirajane checks the ledger, glancing over the estimated time that the mission is _supposed_ to take. Well, it's still alright, she reasons. The mission _was_ a tough one, after all, and their target has been on the loose for a long, long time, with a proud record of many failures from other guilds on his head.

She leaves the mission ledger open, and makes a note to ask the master for details.

* * *

"_There are some tracks here, of someone being dragged."_

"_Gotten sloppy, hasn't he?"_

"_M-maybe we're walking into a trap? I mean, if he's as stealthy as they said-"_

"_Relax! Even if it is a trap, all we have to do is get out, right?"_

"_That's easier said than done…"_

"…_Quiet. Do you hear that?"_

"_Someone's coming."_

* * *

"Oi, it's too quiet in here. Where're the usual idiots?" Cana drawls, walking into the guild on not-quite-steady legs with a bottle of alcohol (a bonus from the employer, Cana claims, but Mirajane strongly doubts that) in her hand.

"Welcome back, Cana," Mirajane says, marking the alcoholic's successful return into the mission record. Speaking of successful returns… "Natsu and the others haven't returned from their mission yet." She frowns. The master had shrugged when she asked about it and seemed unconcerned, so Mirajane had been unconcerned about it as well, until now.

Cana matches her own expression with the barmaid's, albeit with more flushed cheeks. "Didn't they leave like a week before I did? Still not back yet?"

"Apparently not."

"That's an awfully long time, don't you think?"

"Their target's supposed to be a hard catch. Or maybe they had to stay and make repairs for any property damage again?" Despite herself, Mirajane giggles lightly at the thought. "It wouldn't be the first time, after all."

Cana laughs good-naturedly, taking a swig from her bottle. "I wouldn't put it past them. Ah well, people've been on longer missions." A shadow crosses her face, and Mirajane guesses that Cana's thinking of _that_ man, who was whole and intact when he left the guild for three years, and came back missing limbs and organs.

She pats Cana's hand reassuringly, before sliding a clean glass across the bar counter and filling it up. "They'll be back soon."

* * *

"_Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"_

"_Requip, Heaven's Wheel Armor!"_

"_Ice Make: Lance!"_

"_Fire Dragon's Roar!"_

* * *

The days seem to pass more slowly than usual. In the guild, there's an odd sort of calm that doesn't feel relaxing at all, because it's so out of routine to have gone without any brawls this long. With the prime instigator of the fights absent though, it's not surprising.

"Natsu-nii and the others aren't back yet?" Romeo blinks in surprise, folding his arms behind his head. "It's been ages though." He's taken a seat at the bar counter after returning from one of his magic classes, the faint smell of smoke still lingering in his hair. Seven years, and his hero-worship of Natsu hasn't waned a bit. If anything, it's only intensified, Mirajane thinks, sweeping a look over his clothes while she pours a glass of juice and sets it down.

Sitting next to the young fire mage, shy little Wendy bites her upper lip worriedly. "You don't think something happened to them, do you, Mira-san?"

"I'm sure they're just fine, Wendy," Mirajane smiles kindly, because what else can she do? "It's a long mission, and they would have sent word back if something was wrong."

Wendy fidgets nevertheless, as if the instinct to heal even what she can't see is itching. "But what if they couldn't? If they're hurt or anything… I could have gone with them just in case. I should have-"

Romeo puts a hand on Wendy's shoulder, giving a light squeeze. "Cheer up, Wendy. Nothing could ever take down Natsu-nii! Or any of the others," he adds quickly, clearly trying not to let his inner fanboy show.

It's not the best reassurance, but it seems to work because Wendy smiles, just a little bit. "You're right," she agrees, placing a hand over a small burn on Romeo's arm that neither he nor Mirajane have noticed until now, and heals it quickly.

"I bet if you did go with them, they'd be back way sooner though," Romeo says, looking slightly awed. "With two Dragon Slayers, the mission would be done in no time."

Mirajane leaves the two of them for another customer, a knowing smile on her face. But for all her assurances about Natsu's team, she wishes she could feel as confident as she had sounded.

* * *

"_Over there! Aries, block him off!"_

"_Y-yes, I'm sorry!"_

"_Happy, up in the air!"_

"_Aye sir!"_

"_Natsu, keep him distracted from above! Requip, Black Wing Armor!"_

"_You won't capture me like this, Fairy Tail mages!"_

"_Oh shit, everyone back up! Ice Make: Shield!"_

* * *

"Have you seen anything, Carla?"

The white Exceed swishes her tail imperiously. "My ability doesn't work that way," Carla admits. "I have a little control over it now, but I still can't willingly sense what's going to occur more than a few minutes from the present, and actual visions only happen rarely and randomly. So no, I haven't seen anything."

Mirajane sighs. "Ah, that's too bad."

The guild is full of members today for some reason, as if no one wants to take a job. Instead, they're all hanging around and chatting quietly more than anything. But it's still strange how the absence of just five members can make the guild seem smaller. They're Fairy Tail's strongest team, after all.

"I must say, I was pleased with the peace and quiet at first," Carla sniffs. "But lately it's been bothering me for some reason."

"It's different without our loudest members here, isn't it?" Mirajane hums, rubbing a cloth on a glass in repeating, circular motions. "Do you miss Happy?"

Carla's ears flick irritably. "I certainly don't miss him being in my face with his ridiculous fish gifts every day," she says. But that's not a no, Mirajane thinks. "It's strange for what was supposed to be a simple mission to take this long though, isn't it?"

"What mission?" A deep voice cuts in and Pantherlily lands on the bar counter, feathered wings disappearing in a flash of light.

"The one that Happy and his usual friends went on," Mirajane informs. "I wouldn't call it a simple mission, but it _is_ taking a bit longer than what was expected. I might need to have another word with master about that."

Pantherlily crosses his short arms across his chest. "So that's where Titania has been. I thought it was unlike her to miss one of our sparring sessions without giving prior notice, but I suppose she assumed that she would return before then." He tilts his head towards Gajeel, who is apparently arguing over something with Levy at a corner table. "Gajeel's been saying that it's boring without the Salamander to punch around as well."

"Don't either of them ever think about something other than fighting?" Carla says exasperatedly, shaking her head.

"Rarely, I think." Pantherlily's response is deadpan, but amusement dances in his eyes. It fades away as he turns towards the bar. "But Mirajane, does the guild really have missions that last this long?"

"Hm…" A thoughtful expression passes over Mirajane's face. "Missions that aren't S-rank or higher are rarely supposed to last this long, actually." Her lips curve upward in a consoling smile however. "It's only been a few days past the maximum deadline though. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Repeated words, smiles, comfort, and reassurance. Mirajane always _has_ been good at that. But it's only a temporary fix, and the actual problem is looking more and more real with each passing day.

* * *

"_Come on, just a few more steps, Natsu."_

"_I'm gonna throw up…"_

"_Don't throw up on _me_!"_

"_We're not on a vehicle, ash-brain. Get a grip!"_

"_Gray, stop moving around. You're dripping blood everywhere. The enemy will find us that way."_

"_Erza, you're going the wrong direction. It's over here."_

"_Why can't Happy carry me…?"_

"_I'm out of magic, Natsu."_

"_You guys go on ahead. I'm going to make sure no one can follow us."_

* * *

The mission isn't supposed to last over a month.

Asuka giggles cheerfully on Bisca's lap, her small hands reaching for her father. "Up! Up!" Alzack laughs, obligingly lifting his daughter into the air.

"I'm sorry to have to ask you two to do this and leave your daughter for a few days." Mirajane glances to Makarov, whose eyes are unusually solemn. "The pair of you are our best trackers though, and we need to make sure those other foolish children haven't gotten in over their heads."

"Of course we don't mind, master." Bisca grins, tilting her vibrant red hat upward. "Just make sure you guys aren't in over _your_ heads with Asuka. Let me tell you, she acts like an angel at the guild, but she's a tricky little thing at our place."

Alzack deposits the girl on the same counter that Makarov is sitting on. "Be good for everyone else, Asuka," he says, tapping a finger on her tiny nose. "Mommy and daddy are going to work again, and we'll be back soon."

As Asuka's expression immediately begins to scrunch up, Mirajane is at her side in a flash. "Aw, don't look like that, Asuka-chan," she coos, scooping the girl into her arms. "You'll mess up your pretty little face. Tell you what, let's go find your big brother Romeo and big sister Wendy and play with them, how about that?"

Asuka is clearly pleased with that idea, and toddles off in Romeo and Wendy's direction as soon as Mirajane sets her down. "She likes them a lot," Mirajane says fondly, answering the puzzled look on Bisca and Alzack's faces.

"That's one problem we won't have to worry about then," Alzack jokes, but his countenance turns more serious. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

Makarov nods in approval, and Mirajane manages yet another smile. "Please find them."

* * *

_They're in a conveniently placed cave. It's storming. Luckily, Natsu still has enough of his senses to spit a pitifully small fire on their pitifully small pile of wood._

"_I think we're going to be stuck in this area for a while," Lucy says, helping Natsu sit against the wall. His face is still faintly green from the ride down the river that their target had tossed him into and from the excursion to the cave hanging off Lucy's arm. Happy settles himself on Natsu's head. _

"_Most likely," Erza agrees as she tears off a strip of cloth from her skirt and tosses it to Gray, who presses it to the wide, ugly gash in his side with a grimace. "I will take first watch, since I've heard that various monsters appear at night. Lucy, see if you can do anything about Natsu's leg."_

_Lucy shudders at the mention of the monsters, but her face is resolute. "Right." Virgo or another one of her spirits might be better suited for medical treatment, but her magical power is completely dry and she can at least do first aid. It could be so much worse though._

_They're alive._

_Gray pokes at Natsu's oddly angled leg, and Natsu suppresses a whimper. "Definitely broken," Gray reports distastefully. "We're going to have to set it. Here, I'll hold him down and- ow!" His hands fly to his side as Gray turns too quickly, bright red welling up from under his fingers._

"_You sit yourself back down, Gray," Lucy snaps sharply, and he does just that, eyes slightly fearful. She turns to Natsu, sweeping a look over his face. It might be better to do it now, while he's still somewhat out of it. "Alright Natsu, hold still. This is going to hurt."_

_She sees Gray turn his head away, Erza at the mouth of the cave tactfully pretending the rest of them aren't there, Happy gripping the sides of Natsu's head tightly, rolls her eyes at their squeamishness (well okay, she's had her moments too, but come on), and pulls._

_There's a faint crunching sound, and Natsu howls in pain._

_On the plus side, he's not feeling motion sick anymore._

_And this is how their waiting game starts._

* * *

"Pathetic," Gajeel scoffs, tearing off a piece of metal with his teeth and crunching down. "I would've finished that mission twice over now. By myself," he adds in a muffled voice.

Levy takes a moment to glare at Gajeel's eating habits and the jab at her other friends, before sighing resignedly. "I'm really worried about Lu-chan and the others though, Mira. It's not like them to take this long."

"We've already sent out Bisca and Alzack to track them down," Mirajane replies lightly, putting down another (wooden) bowl of scrap metal by Gajeel's elbow. "They should be back soon. All of them. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." She's lost track of how many times she's said those words to how many other people.

"Still… Ow!" Levy's glare at Gajeel returns in full force as he pats on her head harder than necessary. "What was that for?"

"It ain't like _you_ to mope around like that, shorty," Gajeel grunts, before cramming another piece of metal in his mouth. He has the decency to swallow this time before continuing though, Mirajane notices. "Besides, Salamander and his groupie of merry idiots are too stupid to get killed off, if that's what you're thinking."

"That's not what I was thinking at all!" There's a clatter as Levy's chair is upturned onto the floor, and Levy herself is standing with clenched fists. "Don't you have any delicacy when you talk about things like that? How dare you just… just say that so casually! About our friends!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer just looks at the Solid Script mage calmly, before bending over to pick up the chair. "Got that out of your system?" he asks, tossing a bolt like it's a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

Levy slumps back onto the righted chair, her head in her hands. "Yeah," she says, in a tiny voice. Mirajane tactfully moves to the other end of the bar, but not before hearing Gajeel's last remark.

"They're fine."

* * *

"_Still can't believe that bastard got the jump on us," Natsu scowls, punching a fist into his other hand._

"_His specialty is stealth, after all. I wouldn't say it was surprising," Erza calls, her voice oddly far away. "We'll be more prepared next time. I didn't expect someone with an ability like that to have such strength, however."_

_More concerned with another matter, Lucy points her finger at their resident ice mage. "Gray, you're still dripping over the floor. For goodness sake, freeze that wound or something, or I'll get Natsu to burn it shut." Natsu eagerly whips his head around at the sound of his name and the word 'burn' being mentioned in the same sentence, especially if it's directed at Gray._

_Gray actually flinches. "Since when did you order us around?" he mutters, wincing as he tries to subtly back away from the other two. "But my magic's still pretty much empty; I can barely make an ice cube right now." He's not whining. Really. _

"_As soon as you can then," Lucy growls. "And Erza!" She whirls around to accuse the armored mage now. "You've been on watch for twelve hours already, and you shouldn't even be doing that when you have a concussion."_

"_I am perfectly fine," Erza announces defiantly, swaying where she stands. Lucy raises an eyebrow, and the scarlet-haired woman relents. "…But I suppose a bit of sleep wouldn't hurt."_

_Erza walks back into the cave, sitting down with less grace than she normally does. "We're quite the mess right now, aren't we?" Despite everything, she can still smile for some reason. Or maybe it really is the concussion talking, Lucy thinks._

"_We should've brought Wendy with us," Happy pips up forlornly, most likely just wanting the company of Carla. _

"_I think this is a bit too dangerous for her," Lucy says nervously, shuddering at the thought of the younger girl being batted around like they had been. "But her healing would be pretty useful right now."_

"_We can't do anything in this weather, but I'm equally certain that our target can't either," Erza continues, still on top of the mission details even with a head injury. "We'll take this time to recover and plan our next attack."_

"_Last attack!" Natsu adds, as he attempts to jump up but crumples to the floor instead under (and over) the combined forces of Erza's fist and his broken leg._

* * *

Despite the variety of drinks stocked in Fairy Tail's bar (less so since the seven years, but they're collecting again), Juvia always, almost fittingly, orders water.

"Juvia is worried," the water mage announces rather unnecessarily, nimble fingers absentmindedly bending the liquid in her glass into intricate shapes.

Outside, a light drizzle is making _pitter-patter_ sounds on the roof.

"A lot of people are, Juvia," Mirajane answers, reaching for the mop in case of one of Juvia's emotional torrents. "We've got people searching for Gray and the others. They'll be okay. They _are_ okay." It wasn't a lie if she believed in it, was it? Almost believed in it, anyway. Because for it to go on this long… is wrong.

The water in the glass drops back down with a soft splash. "The one time Juvia does not keep track of Gray-sama," Juvia fumes indignantly, "And Gray-sama is gone for a long long time. And with Lucy and Erza-san too! Ahhh, Juvia's heart can't take it anymore!"

"Now, now," Mirajane laughs nervously, bracing herself. "I'm sure Gray hasn't done anything with them. They're on the same team, after all."

It's amazing how such flimsy reassurance can brighten Juvia so quickly. "Of course, of course," she mutters comically. "But Juvia cannot drop her guard against the other love rivals. Gray-sama is so wonderful, how could they not stay away?"

But Juvia's dark blue eyes soften. "Juvia is also concerned about Lucy and Erza-san and Natsu-san and Happy though, because Juvia knows they are important to Gray-sama. Important to Fairy Tail too." And Mirajane remembers when the younger girl first joined, how Lucy was adamant about accepting her despite being a former Phantom Lord member.

"She cried for us," Lucy had said cryptically, and that was that.

"Mira-san…"

Something in Juvia's voice makes the barmaid pause, and she gives Juvia a puzzled glance.

"Juvia hasn't… I-I haven't thanked him yet," Juvia says quietly, head bowed and looking into her glass. "For taking the rain away."

Mirajane doesn't quite know what to say to that.

_Drip, drip, drop._

* * *

"_Stop pushing me!"_

"_Stop moving around then!"_

"_Natsu, don't touch me there!"_

"_Silence, all of you."_

"_Y-yes, ma'am."_

_Eventually, finally, they fall asleep one by one, huddled together in an exhausted pile. It's really not very comfortable, Lucy thinks sleepily, having her limbs and hair and clothes all tangled up with everyone else. She can feel Natsu's pleasant warmth on one side, a soothing sort of coolness from Gray on her other side, and Erza's armor digging solidly into her back. Happy's tail suddenly flops down in front of her face and she sneezes, but none of the others so much as twitch._

_Despite everything, it's moments like these that Lucy lives for. When regardless of enemy mages and missions and injuries, they can all be together in a way that brings them even closer than before._

_She feels sore and tired and wants to close her eyes and never wake up, but she still can't seem to drift off. Instead, she listens to the surprisingly quiet breathing of her friends and the faint beating of their hearts, somehow all in sync. Every beat she counts as a second, and she names every twelfth one._

_Natsu._

_Happy. _

_Gray._

_Erza._

_Lucy._

_She doesn't remember falling asleep._

* * *

A week after they leave, Bisca and Alzack return, dirty and exhausted. Mirajane listens with growing trepidation as they report to the master.

"We lost their trail," Bisca says grimly, as she picks dirt out from under her meticulous nails.

"It looks like they arrived at the town the request came from a couple days after they first took the mission," Alzack elaborates, spreading out a map of the approximated area and pointing at the aforementioned town. "Another few days after asking the citizens for details, they went up to the mountains here," His finger slides upward on the wrinkled paper. "And no one's seen them since."

"We went up there ourselves," Bisca continues. "The whole area was practically destroyed, which is kind of what you'd expect from them, with their record," she laughs briefly. "You should've seen it: trees broken, holes in the cliffs, scorched patches of grass, all the works. But it's like they just vanished."

"The citizens did say that the target stopped terrorizing their town though, and no other reports have appeared in other nearby towns," Alzack adds, as if trying to balance out the somber news with some semblance of positivity. "That means the mission was probably completed. Erza's team never showed back up at the town, so the citizens said they assumed the team decided to leave without taking the reward or something." Anger twists his feature momentarily. "Didn't even try to notify the guild…"

The unspoken and most important question still hangs in the air.

_Where are they?_

Makarov closes his eyes in thought, and Mirajane is suddenly struck by how _old_ he looks right now. He's led the guild for over forty years, and it's beginning to show more than ever.

"Good work, both of you," he says to the gunslingers, waving them off. They hesitate, still waiting to be told to find something, but Makarov does not say anything else. Nodding in resignation, Bisca and Alzack leave to find their daughter.

"Master…" Mirajane starts, and stops. The words won't come out, because just the _thought_ of… of…

"Let's give the brats a few more days." Makarov says suddenly, speaking like he hasn't heard her. "I don't know what they're thinking, fooling around like this."

Mirajane nods automatically. But the flutter of fear in her stomach won't settle. "Master," she says again, hesitantly. "Shouldn't we go look for their… for them?" Because someone has to ask, but how can she even think that?

"No." Despite his brisk response, there is something dark and distant and _determined_ in Makarov's eyes. "They're just a little late."

* * *

One day, Team Natsu didn't come home.

And the world kept turning.

.

.

.

* * *

They lose track of time, days blending together with no distinction between morning and night. It doesn't matter much though, with the stormy conditions. And one day, when Erza can shout at Natsu and Gray in the right direction, when Lucy no longer feels on the perpetual edge of collapse, when Gray can move without reopening the gash in his side, and when Natsu can run around with Happy's help, they go find their target and soundly kick his ass. It's that easy.

Second time's the charm, after all.

* * *

_~Then One Day~_

_They'll always come back._

* * *

One day, Team Natsu finally came home.

* * *

_The air in the guild is almost vibrating with tension. The members talk only quietly, as if something will be broken if they raise their voices above a whisper._

_Mirajane cleans another glass. The clock on the wall of the guild is loud today._

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

* * *

"I hope the rest of the guild isn't too worried." With Natsu's arm around her neck, it's a little hard for Lucy to walk. But Happy had claimed that he was tired again, and passed the task of holding up their Fire Dragon Slayer to the celestial spirit mage. "We spent a long time just looking for our target, and not to mention the break we had to take…"

"I'm sure it hasn't been that long," Erza says dismissively, dragging their unconscious and defeated target behind her with a long rope.

"Took longer than it should have though," Next to Erza, Gray keeps an eye on the ice handcuffs for any signs of melting, only a little short of breath. "It's pretty embarrassing just one guy could kick us around like this."

Natsu raises his head, resisting the slight nausea from hanging off Lucy, and looks up. Those white, white clouds in that blue, blue sky piss him off for some reason. But they finished the mission, the sun is shining, and everyone is alive and well. Can't ask for much more than that. Except for maybe some food.

He turns his head to the rest of his team, a wide smile spreading like a ripple over his face. "Let's go home. Everyone's waiting for us."

* * *

"_Shouldn't we just look for them?"_

"_Look for _what? _Their bodies?"_

_A glass crashes to the floor._

"_Hey, what the hell are you saying?"_

"_You know exactly what I'm saying. They've been gone this long, you seriously think they're still alive?"_

"_Well-"_

_Lisanna slams her hands on the table between Wakaba and Macao, sapphire eyes burning like fire. "Stop it! Don't either of you have any faith? Natsu and Lucy and everyone else are fine! Why can't you believe in them like they would do for you?"_

"_Lisanna-" Wakaba starts, but the girl shakes her head emphatically._

"_They're coming home. We just need to wait a little longer." And Lisanna gives a brittle smile. "You waited seven years for us. What's another month or two?"_

_Somehow, the tightly wound-up atmosphere of the guild defuses by a miniscule amount. _

_Mirajane's never been prouder of her sister._

* * *

"O-oh, you're back! You're all back!"

"The mission was completed successfully. Here is your culprit; he shouldn't give you trouble anymore."

"You were gone for so long that everyone thought…"

"Wait, how long?"

"Some people even came looking for you. From your guild, you know. I'm sure they're all very worried."

"Right, we're getting on the next train to Magnolia! Don't wanna keep them waiting, huh?"

"You actually want to get on the train?"

"Thank you, all of you."

* * *

_Mirajane suddenly raises her head and looks at the door of the guild, as if expecting someone to come through it. _

_But no one does._

_She has a strange feeling about today. She doesn't know if it's good or bad._

* * *

"NO, NO, NO! LET ME GO! I'LL RUN BACK!"

"Natsu, stop yelling! People are staring at us!"

"Yeah, shut up and just get on the train. There's no way you can run back on that leg anyway."

Erza doesn't even bother with a reply, only exasperatedly picking Natsu up by his scarf and throwing him bodily into the train compartment.

They give Natsu the window seat.

* * *

_Wendy and Gajeel sit up straighter, their sharp ears picking out the sound of a shrill train whistle among all the other noises in Magnolia._

* * *

"Why is it so far to the new guild building? I just want to be there already…"

"We don't have the funds to buy the old one back yet. Hopefully with this mission's reward, we can contribute to that."

They're passing Lucy's apartment now, and although she really wants to get in and sleep, duty calls. They need to give the mission report.

* * *

_Warren stiffens and cups a hand to his ears, his eyes widening as familiar mental voices rush in. "Is that…?"_

* * *

They're striding up the steps now, and Gray has just called Natsu another name.

* * *

_Everyone is still, listening to the footsteps and the muffled shouts of an argument growing ever louder outside their door, waiting._

* * *

They push open-

* * *

The _door_

* * *

-_bursts open and light spills into the guild._

* * *

There is Lucy, keys at her hip and tattered clothes barely clinging onto her. There is Erza, armor scuffed and a bandage wrapped around her head. There is Gray, the ripped remains of a coat tossed over his shoulders and a dark blue cloth tied around his midsection. There is Happy, missing quite a few feathers and definitely having patches of blue fur thinned out. There is Natsu, favoring one leg and shouting irritably over his shoulder at some comment they didn't hear.

There is their team.

Natsu seems to suddenly realize they have arrived at the guild and hops forward awkwardly, nearly falling until Happy swoops down and grabs an arm before Lucy, Gray, and Erza do the same. The brilliant grin on his face is warm enough to light a fire as he scans around the guild at everyone's dumbstruck faces and says simply, "We're back."

Mirajane places the clean glass onto the bar in anticipation of a drink, closes the mission ledger, and smiles.

"Welcome home."

* * *

**A/N:** Wow, this is terrible. It started out with just a few select paragraphs I wrote out, but when I tried to make combine it and make a full-fledged story, this crap came out. The idea was that Natsu's team went missing on a mission and it was supposed to show how the guild missed them and believed they would come back, but then I had all sorts of problems like "why wouldn't they look for them" and others. And I definitely didn't plan to have Mirajane get so much of the spotlight in the parts with the guild, especially when I have a vague idea for her in another story already. Jeez. But it's already finished, so might as well put it up…

The part about Lucy counting heartbeats is taken from another story, one much better than mine. It was written for the Avengers movie, actually, and I just thought it was a really beautiful bit of writing. It's wasted on this story, honestly. But if anyone's interested in reading that, drop a line. Thanks for reading.


End file.
